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Robert Rodriguez's 10 Minute Cooking School

YumSugar — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 14:28:18 -0700

Any of you guys fans of director Robert Rodriguez? Well, did you know that he includes his own 10 minute cooking school videos on many of his DVDs? In each episode you get footage of Rodriguez walking you through one of his favorite recipes, intermixed with footage of his films. To check out videos for Sin City Breakfast Tacos (homemade tortillas even!) and Puerco Pibil (from Once Upon a Time In Mexico with Johnny Depp!), read more

Sin City Breakfast Tacos:

Once Upon A Time In Mexico Puerco Pibil:

These both look great, but what I want to know is, what recipe will he use for his upcoming remake of the Jetsons?

Source: Boing Boing

Fast & Easy Dinner: Grilled Shrimp Tacos

partysugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:00:56 -0700

Happy Mexican Independence Day! Although many Americans confuse Cinco de Mayo with Mexico's independence, it's actually celebrated on Sept. 16. To commemorate the occasion, how about offering your family these quick yet delicious shrimp tacos? Served on warm soft tortillas with a simple sour cream-cumin sauce, these shrimp are plump and succulent. Although the recipe requires that you grill the shrimp, it also explains how to cook them under the broiler. If you have extra time on your hands, consider making a homemade Mexican fiesta complete with pico de gallo, guacamole, and salsa. Get the uncomplicated shrimp taco recipe now.

Chicken Posole Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:50:53 -0700

I don't often throw big blowouts like Party does, but I still love an excuse to celebrate in my own way. So, to honor Mexican Independence Day (which just happens to be today - olé!), I'm making a spicy soup called chicken posole. With chicken broth, roasted chicken, hominy, and chiles, this rustic stew is down-home, South-of-the-border cooking at its best. Since I'm preparing ahead, I'll be putting together an elaborate rendition with homemade chicken stock, flash-fried tortilla strips, and pureéd ancho chiles, but in the future, when another posole craving inevitably strikes, I'll reach for a similar two-step recipe that does the trick, too. Decide which recipe's best for you

Have You Ever Made Your Own Tortillas?

partysugar — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:50:08 -0700

Last week I attended a cooking club hosted by six of San Francisco's finest ladies. It was a fresh Mexican meal with the highlight being piping-hot homemade tortillas.

I was incredibly impressed by the gal who made them and surprised when she told me they were easy to make.

I couldn't help but wonder why I've never done it! Have you?

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Come Party With Me: Engagement Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 07:50:25 -0700

Two weeks ago, I was starting to panic. Wedding season was nearly upon us and I had no bride and groom. Luckily I got a call from one of my oldest friends announcing her engagement! Giddy and excited, Ronda agreed to be my featured bride. Never one to procrastinate, Ronda and her fiance, James, are ready to celebrate with an informal engagement party. They're enthusiastic dancers, so the party will revolve around a salsa dance class. Everyone will be invited to join; after the class we'll toast the couple and enjoy a buffet of spicy Latin food. The menu will be a mix of homemade and store-bought items.

Bowls of purchased guacamole and a variety of salsas are perfect for dipping when paired with crunchy tortilla chips. Beef empanadas are filling and can be mass produced in advance. Plantain chips with chicken and mojito mango salsa are festive and delicious. A Mexican seafood cocktail packed with crab and shrimp finishes up the menu. For these recipes, read more.

Empanadas
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

For the filling:
2 pounds ground pork or beef
2 medium onions, finely diced
2 jalapeno chiles, minced (ribs and seeds removed for less heat, if desired)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) tomatoes, diced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
For the dough
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup cold water
1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water (do not beat until ready to bake)

Directions

Make the filling: In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, cook meat until no longer pink, breaking it up into small pieces, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add onion and jalapenos; cook until soft, 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder and tomatoes. Cook over medium until mixture has thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in cilantro. Let cool.
Make the dough: In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingers, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add just enough cold water so dough comes together.
Form empanadas: Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide in half. Knead each half 2 or 3 times to form smooth balls. Cut each ball into four equal pieces. Cover with plastic; let stand until slightly risen, 20 minutes. Shape into balls.
On floured surface, roll out each piece of dough into an 8-inch round. Divide filling evenly among rounds, spreading it over half of each and leaving a 1/2-inch border.
Brush border of bottom halves with water; fold top halves over filling to enclose completely. Press edges to seal with your fingertips, then crimp firmly with a fork. If desired, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, 2 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic; freeze in plastic bags.
To bake fresh or frozen empanadas, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Brush tops with egg wash, avoiding crimped edges. Bake until golden brown, rotating sheets halfway through, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serves 8.

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Plantain Chips With Chicken and Mojito Mango Salsa
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 6 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large ripe mango, finely diced
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons Telluride Mojito, without club soda (recipe below)
2 teaspoons minced jalapeño
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
4 dozen large plantain chips

Directions

In a medium skillet, heat the oil until shimmering.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook over moderately high heat until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook over moderate heat until browned on the second side and cooked through, about 6 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate to cool completely.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the mango with the onion, Telluride Mojito, jalapeño, mint and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the plantain chips on a large tray. Halve the chicken breasts lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Put a piece of chicken on each plantain chip, spoon the salsa on top and serve.

Makes 4 dozen appetizers.

Telluride Mojito

16 small fresh mint sprigs, plus 4 more for garnish
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup white or gold rum
8 dashes bitters
2 cups club soda

In a bowl, using a wooden spoon, crush the mint with the sugar until the mint is coarsely chopped and the sugar is pale green. Add the lime juice, rum and bitters and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Strain the mixture through a coarse strainer into a small pitcher. Pour into tall glasses over ice and top each drink with 1/2 cup of the club soda. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

Makes 4 drinks.

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Mexican Seafood Cocktail
From Gourmet

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chilled Clamato juice, or 1 cup tomato juice and 1/2 cup bottled clam juice
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce such as Tabasco
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 firm-ripe California avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into small chunks
1/2 lb fresh lump crabmeat (1 cup), picked over
1/4 lb cooked baby shrimp
oyster crackers or saltines, optional for serving

Directions
Stir together Clamato juice, ketchup, lime juice, hot sauce, salt, onion, and cilantro in a large bowl, then gently stir in avocado, crabmeat, and shrimp. Spoon into 6- or 8-ounce glasses or cups.

Makes 4 to 6 first-course or light main-course servings.

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

partysugar — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Modified From Muir Glen

6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup grapeseed oil, peanut oil, other high smoke-point oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 medium jalapeño , veins removed, chopped
4 cups chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained (recommended Muir Glen fire-roasted)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt)
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 ripe medium avocado
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (2 oz) (or other mild, melting cheese)
1 teaspoon chopped chipotle in adobo
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion in oil 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and chile; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
Stir in broth, tomatoes and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Add chicken; heat until hot.
Meanwhile, fry the tortillas. Cut tortillas in half; cut halves into 1/4-inch strips. In 3-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Fry strips in oil, 1/3 at a time, until light brown and crisp. Remove from pan, sprinkle with salt; drain on paper towels. Reserve.
Mix the chipotle in adobo, sour cream, and fresh lime juice in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
To serve, peel and pit the avocado. Cut into 1-inch slices.
Divide half of tortilla strips among 4 individual serving bowls; ladle in soup. Top with avocado and cheese; garnish with remaining tortilla strips and cilantro. Serve with chipotle sour cream and lime wedges.

Serves 4.

Tasty Tacos With Chile Verde

YumSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:15:59 -0700

Over the weekend the weather in San Francisco was exceptionally nice; it was the perfect time to enjoy a delicious homemade Mexican meal with icy cold beers and a few wonderful friends. I had a couple days to plan, so I opted to make a slow-cooked chile verde, which combines the complex flavors of melt-in-your-mouth pork, sauteed onions, tangy tomatillos, and a variety of roasted chiles. Prepping all of the ingredients takes a couple of hours, but the work and patience required to make this dish are worth it. I served the moist scrumptious chile verde on corn tortillas with cilantro, sour cream, and fresh lime. To get started on this distinctive Mexican dish, read more.

Chile Verde Tacos
Original Recipe

Ingredients

5 poblano chiles
5 anaheim chiles
3-4 pounds pork butt
1/2 white onion, roughly chopped
1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
12 tomatillos (roughly 5-6 pounds)
1 cup homemade chicken stock or store-bought chicken stock
1 jalapeno, roughly chopped (optional)
1 jar prepared salsa verde (optional)*
12-20 corn tortillas
8 ounces sour cream
1 bunch cilantro
2-3 limes, sliced in wedges (optional)

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Place poblano and anaheim chiles on a cookie sheet. Roast the chiles on all sides. Be careful the chiles can burn quickly. If there are sides that are too hard to roast in the broiler, use metal tongs and the open flame of the stove to finish the roasting process.
Let peppers cool slightly and use a knife or paper towel to slowly peel the skin off of all the peppers. Set aside.
Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Brown all sides of the pork about 3-4 minutes per side. Place the pork in a Crock-Pot.
Reduce heat to medium and saute the onions and garlic in the pork fat until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add to the Crock-Pot.
Remove the papery covering on the tomatillos. Place the tomatillos in a food processor. Add the skinned poblano chiles and anaheim chiles. Puree until smooth. Add to the Crock-Pot.
Add chicken stock to the Crock-pot. Simmer in the Crock-Pot on low for 10 hours. Add jalapeno, if desired and cook for another 2-4 hours until the pork falls apart. You might need a fork to break apart the pork. Add the salsa verde, if you need more liquid. You can cook this for shorter amount of time but I think the longer it cooks the better it tastes.
Heat tortillas in a pan or oven. Serve the tortillas warm with the pork and sour cream, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges.

Serves 6-8.

*I prefer Herdez, which can be found in your local grocery store in the Hispanic food section.

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Not Your Regular Nachos: Crab Nachos

partysugar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:41:19 -0700

What do you get when you combine crispy, salty chips with spicy, melty cheese and fresh, flaky crab? Some amazingly delicious nachos! Between the newly-picked crab, the homemade pico de gallo, and the pepper-jack béchamel, these nachos are more gourmet than ghetto - who said Mexican food can't be high end?

The recipe calls for blue corn tortilla chips, but any tortilla chip would work. I used frozen corn - make sure it's thawed, you don't want soggy nachos - because fresh isn't in season. These nachos were incredibly tasty and I'm definitely making them again. To look at the recipe, read more.

Crab Nachos
From Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 small can chopped green chiles, drained
1 1/2 cups grated Pepper Jack
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (9-ounce) bag blue corn tortilla chips (8 to 10 cups)
1 pound lump crabmeat
1 cup cooked fresh corn kernels, from about 2 small ears of corn
2 cups grated cheddar
1/4 cup green onions, finely sliced
3/4 cup sour cream, for garnishing
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnishing
Pico de gallo, for serving, recipe follows

Directions

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat and whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not allow the flour to color.

While whisking constantly, add the milk in a steady stream. Add the green chiles and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and bubbly.
Add the pepper jack, salt, and cayenne pepper and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Cover and remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large, ovenproof shallow casserole or on a large baking sheet, spread half of the tortilla chips in an even layer. Top with half of the crabmeat, half of the corn, and half of the cheddar cheese.

Top with the remaining tortilla chips, crabmeat, and corn.
Pour the hot cheese sauce over the crab and corn, then evenly spread the remaining grated cheddar over the top.
Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the nachos are heated through, 8 to 10 minutes. Garnish with the sliced green onions, sour cream, and cilantro. Serve with the pico de gallo alongside.

Serves 6.

Pico de Gallo:

3 ripe plum tomatoes (about 3/4 pound) or 1(14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno pepper, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red hot sauce (recommended: Emeril's Hot Sauce)
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced

In the bowl of a food processor, combine all ingredients and pulse until the salsa is of uniform consistency but still slightly chunky, about 7 pulses.
Transfer to a bowl and set aside until ready to serve the nachos.

Makes about 1 cup.

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Chicken Enchiladas Two Ways - Beginner & Expert

partysugar — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 14:28:39 -0700

Enchiladas, the quintessential Tex-Mex main, are a great dish because they feed a crowd. Shredded chicken, melty cheese, gooey sauce, and soft tortillas: what's not to love about them? Excellent for entertaining, it's easy to create an entire Mexican themed meal around enchiladas. Enchiladas are like lasagna in that they have so many steps - poaching chicken, simmering the sauce, assembling the tortillas - and can seem like a huge project to make. However, they are quickly and simply put together by even the most beginner of cooks. If you have the time and skills, it's incredibly rewarding to go through the whole process with both the chicken and homemade sauce. Whichever way you make them, you should master enchiladas - so get the recipe that suits your level of cooking - read more

Beginner Chicken Enchiladas
From Kraft Foods

2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) reduced-sodium 98% fat-free condensed cream of chicken soup
8 Flour Tortillas
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) chili- or Mexican-flavored stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 cup Mexican Style Shredded Cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine chicken and soup; spoon evenly down centers of tortillas. Roll up.
Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish; top evenly with tomatoes with their liquid and cheese. Cover with foil.
Bake 30 to 35 min. or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through, removing the foil after 20 min.

Serves 4.

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Expert Chicken Enchiladas
From Tyler Florence

Salsa Verde:
12 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed
1 onion, quartered
Splash white vinegar
Water
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
2 limes, juiced
Salt
Enchiladas:
3 poblano peppers
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups canned chicken stock
1 deli roasted chicken, about 3 pounds, boned, meat shredded
Leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 large corn tortillas
1/2 pound Monterey jack cheese, shredded
Chunky Guacamole, recipe follows
1 pint sour cream

Make the salsa: put the tomatillos, jalapenos, and onion in a saucepan with the vinegar and water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and poach until the tomatillos are soft, about 10 minutes. Drain. Put the vegetables in a blender, add the cumin, and puree. Add the cilantro, lime juice, and salt, and pulse to combine. Set aside.
Meanwhile, place the poblano peppers directly over the flame on a gas stove and cook, turning with tongs, until the skin is charred and blackened. (Or, if you have an electric stove, put the chiles on a baking sheet and broil, turning with tongs, until the skin is blackened.) Skin the peppers; then seed, core, and dice them.
Heat a 2-count of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the cumin and cook 1 minute. Then sprinkle on the flour and cook, stirring, 1 more minute. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring constantly.
Bring to a simmer, stirring to make sure the flour doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan; the liquid will thicken. Fold in the chicken, diced peppers, and cilantro, and season well with salt and pepper.
To assemble the dish: preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Get your self a large baking dish. Dip a tortilla into the tomatilla salsa and put it on a cutting board.
Put a big scoop of the chicken mixture in the center, sprinkle with a little of the cheese, and roll the tortilla like a cigar to enclose the filling. Use a spatula to place it seam side down in the baking dish.
Continue to fill all of the tortillas and put them in the baking dish. Pour the remaining tomatilla salsa over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top. Serve hot with the guacamole and sour cream.

Serves 4.

Chunky Guacamole:
4 ripe avocados
3 limes, juiced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 serrano chiles, sliced thinly
1 big handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Halve and pit the avocados. Scoop out the flesh with a tablespoon into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork, leaving them somewhat chunky.
Add the remaining ingredients, and fold everything together to gently mix. Lay a piece of plastic wrap right on the surface of the guacamole so it doesn't brown and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

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A Brief History of My Beloved Nachos

partysugar — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 01:07:58 -0800

Get ready to celebrate, today is National Nachos Day! Like many other delicious dishes, nachos were invented accidentally; chef Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya threw together a dish using leftover ingredients he had on hand. In 1943, Anaya was the head cook at the Victory Club in the Mexican city of Coahuila. One day after the restaurant had closed, several American wives from the nearby US military base came in for dinner. Thinking quickly, Anaya cut a few tortillas into triangles and fried them. He then topped these with cheese and jalapenos. Voila! Nachos were born.

Today, there are many variations of nachos, including the ballpark processed cheese one. While concession stand nachos are tasty in a pinch, they don't do National Nachos Day justice.

On a day like today, go all out and make a delicious homemade version with fresh grated cheese and diced jalapeno. You know you want the recipe, just read more

Nachos
From Family Oven

1 pound Mexican chorizo, removed from casings and crumbled
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups cooked pinto beans
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Water
Large, restaurant style corn tortilla chips
1 1/2 cups grated pepper jack
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar
1 small white onion, sliced into thin rings
5 large jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and chopped, or to taste
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

In a large skillet, cook the chorizo, garlic, and cumin, stirring, over medium-high heat until the sausage is browned and the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels.
To the fat in the pan, add the pinto beans, chili powder, salt, and 1 to 1 1/2 cups water (depending on the moisture in the beans). Cook over medium heat until warmed through, smashing with the back of a heavy wooden spoon or potato masher until chunky/smooth. Remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a large, oval ovenproof platter or in a large baking dish, spread 1 layer of chips. Top with a layer of 1/2 of the beans, then 1/2 of the sausage, cheeses, onion rings, and chopped jalapenos.
Repeat with another layer of chips, beans, sausage, cheese, onions and jalapenos. Bake until the cheeses are melted and the mixture is hot, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and lime juice, with a pinch of salt. Drizzle over the nachos, garnish with cilantro, and serve immediately.

Serves 8-10.

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