COLD CARROT, COCONUT, CURRIED SOUP!

This is one of the best cold soups I have ever tasted. It's easy to make and versatile in that you can add different toppings to change the flavors. I found the recipe in Gourmet Magazine, but have doctored it a bit.

COLD CARROT, COCONUT, CURRIED SOUP

Ingredients:
About 1 bunch scallions, chopped (reserve some green tops for garnish)
1 small onion (about 2/3 cup), chopped
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp. finely grated peeled fresh gingerroot (more if you like it super spicy!)
2 Tbsp. unsalted Butter or Olive Oil (Butter gives a richer flavor, but the soup really does not need it. I have made with both and Olive Oil is just as good.)
1 Tbsp. curry (I use a mild curry, but again if you like it hot, mix half and half/mild and hot.)
Salt/White pepper to taste (Go gentle with the pepper as the gingerroot already gives it a bit of heat. I use white because the black pepper mars the 'look' of the soup.)
Carrots, about 4 cups peeled  and cut into chunks or use your mini-max to chop.
3 cups chicken broth
2 (5.4 oz.) cans unsweetened coconut cream
1 5.4 oz. can water
2 Tbsp. lime juice (from 1 key lime)
Additional water for thinning soup if necessary.
Garnishes: we'll discuss those later!

I like this brand of coconut cream and buy it online.

Preparation:
In a large heavy soup pot, cook carrots, chopped scallion, onion, garlic, and gingerroot in butter or olive oil. Add curry, salt and pepper. Cook over moderately low heat until the veg are softened. Add the broth. Simmer mixture covered about 20 minutes until carrots are very soft. Let it cool a bit and then put the mixture in a blender in batches with the coconut cream and blend until very smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1 Tbsp. lime juice and water to get the consistency you want. It should be a little bit thick. Cool for several hours, but really best to cool overnight--the flavors meld together beautifully. When you're ready to serve, check seasonings again, add a little more water if necessary.

Garnishes: This soup is perfectly delicious with NO garnish, but it also lends itself to many different toppings. Try it with wild shrimp sautéed in butter, garlic, grated ginger and a little fresh lime juice. Finish with chopped basil and scallions.

Or top with avocado slices and chopped cod fish poached in coconut milk, scallions and basil. The cod almost tastes like lobster. Finish with scallions. The texture and flavor of the avocado add another element of rich, creaminess to this soup.

Or simply top with scallions.

I think it would also be great with a boneless, skinless chicken breast poached right in the soup and then removed to shred and placed back in the soup to chill.

HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

So creamy, it almost looks like whipped cream!

Recently I have been making my own mayonnaise. Like making your own catchup, BBQ sauce or any number of other condiments, the freshness and flavor is SO much better than store-bought, plus no artificial ingredients. This recipe, made in a blender or food processor, is easy, and the mayo keeps for a couple weeks.  I like to make it with avocado oil, not olive oil. The olive oil may give it a bitter taste and the olive flavor is overpowering. If you use olive oil, try mixing it 50/50 with a more neutral oil. I am sure any mild oil would be good. This simple method for making in a blender or food processor is nearly foolproof!

Ingredients:
2 egg yolks, room temp*
1 whole egg, also room temp
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more if needed**
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt, or more to taste
Big pinch white pepper
Up to 2 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp. or more of water to achieve correct consistency and improve the emulsification process
* If you forgot to pull your eggs out of the fridge an hour early, run them under hot water until they are warmed up. This is important as a room temp egg will hold the sauce together better than a cold one.
**You can add any acid, like vinegar, but I like the flavor of fresh lemon.

Preparation:
Put the egg yolks and whole egg, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and white pepper in a blender. Process for a few seconds to combine ingredients. With the blender or food processor running continuously, pour in the oil very slowly in driblets at first. This is important to start the emulsion process. As the mayo starts to thicken you can add in a very slow, thin stream, but wait about 30 seconds between additions to make sure each time you add oil it gets incorporated. When the sauce thickens you can add the oil in a steady stream. Finally, add 1 tsp., or more, of water. You may be thinking oil and water don't mix, but the water actually improves the emulsification. Here's the science behind it: Adding a teaspoon of water increases the space between fat droplets, helping them stay separate— a necessity when forming an emulsion. Plus adding a small quantity of water makes a lighter mayo. Transfer the finished mayo to a bowl covered with plastic wrap, glass jar, or plastic container, and store in the refrigerator. The fresher the eggs, the longer it keeps. Do not store in an aluminum container as it will turn your mayo grayish.

The variations on a mayonnaise theme are endless: Garlic (aka aioli); chipotle; curry; tarragon; wasabi or horseradish mayo and on and on...Experiment!

Last time I told you about a ranch my husband and I recently visited just outside of Bisbee, AZ in McNeal. I am impressed that the 47 Ranch is totally off the grid using solar and wind power exclusively for their entire operation. They raise grass-fed, organic cattle, sheep, pigs, and goats (currently raised at a nearby ranch).

I love goat, but have never had a goat burger. I wanted the true taste of goat so just seasoned the meat with salt and pepper and put them in a hot frying pan to cook to a medium-rare perfection. This burger was succulent, rich, and had a mild goat flavor, reminiscent of venison! I grew up eating venison and to think a farm-raised goat could taste quite as good was a wonderful surprise. I cooked my burgers in a pan as I did not want to lose one bit of juice by grilling and topped them with sautéed mushroom and avocado. Next time, I will top them with a generous portion of goat cheese! Wonder if Bobby Flay makes goat burgers in his restaurant?

I served the goat burgers with grilled zucchini and coleslaw made with the above homemade mayo.

Here are some photos from the 47 Ranch. To learn more, go to this article which ran a while back in Edible Baja magazine: http://ediblebajaarizona.com/a-ranchs-observation
Or visit them every Thursday at the Farmer's Market in Sierra Vista or Saturday morning at the Market in Bisbee.

Pigs are such happy and inquisitive creatures!

Ranch-hand, Vanessa and our host for the afternoon.

Her assistant, Eloise, a college intern from France.

Me and Leroy, a rescued calf who will be raised at the ranch.

That's all for today. Next time, I will share stories from another local rancher who raises goats and makes her own cheese.

 

Happy cooking to you...until we meet again!

www.cookwithcindy.com

SWEETBREADS MEUNIERE

Sweetbreads right from the package!

Sweetbreads may not be everyone's 'thing', but I happen to love them and do not have them that often. In fact, this is the first time I have ever cooked them at home. Thanks to my friends, Duncan and Susan Blair of Rio Santa Cruz Ranch, ('Like' them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riosantacruzgrassfedbeef) I received a nice bunch of sweetbreads earlier this year from their harvest. Sweetbreads are offals, which are organ meats; the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal; does not have to be a cow. Sweetbreads have a delicate texture and a mild organ-meat flavor all of their own. I am very interested in learning more about cooking and eating every part of a critter so cooking these sweetbreads was a thrill for me.

Meuniere is a simple French sauce which always includes brown butter, parsley and lemon. I got this recipe for Sweetbreads from Gourmet Magazine, which they published in 1973. I tweaked it a bit, but stayed pretty true. Here it is:

Sweetbreads resting after their water-bath.

SWEETBREADS MEUNIERE

Ingredients:
2 lbs. sweetbreads
1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, cut into tbsp. pieces
2 qts. water
1 medium onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
4 whole cloves
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 Tbsp. plus 3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. fresh chanterelles (I could not find chanterelles so used a combo of Crimini's, Portabello's, and White buttons
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots--about 2 medium
1/3 cup dry Sherry
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice or more to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation:
SOAK SWEETBREADS: Rinse sweetbreads under cold running water, then soak in a large bowl of ice and cold water in the fridge, changing water once or twice if water becomes pink, at least for 2 hours, then drain on paper towels or a linen dish towel.
MAKE BROWN BUTTER: Melt 1 stick butter in a 1 qt. heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then cook, stirring occasionally, until butter turns golden with a nutlike fragrance and flecks on bottom of pan turn a rich caramel brown, 10-20 minutes. Butter will initially foam, then subside. A thicker foam will appear. Stir more frequently toward end of cooking. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring cup and set aside. You will have 5-6 Tbsp. of brown butter.
COOK SWEETBREADS AND MUSHROOMS:
Bring water (2 quarts) to a simmer in a 3-4 qt. saucepan with onion, bay leaf, cloves, 3 cloves garlic, and 1 tbsp. salt. Add sweetbreads and poach gently uncovered, at a bare simmer--about 10 minutes. Transfer sweetbreads with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking.

My simmer was so bare that the sweetbreads stopped the bubbling when I first
put them in the water. They quickly came back up to gentle boil.

Pour 1 cup poaching liquid through a sieve into a small bowl and reserve for sauce, discarding remaining poaching liquid.

Drain sweetbreads and pat dry. Using a paring knife, cut away any fat and pull away as much membrane  and connective tissues as possible. This is a lot like taking the silver skin off any meat. The more thoroughly you clean and remove tissue the more tender and silken the sweetbreads will be.

Separate or cut sweetbreads into roughly 2 inch pieces. Arrange sweetbreads on a tray lined with paper towels to keep dry, blotting tops with more paper towels.
Cut/slice mushrooms. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to lowest temp--175 to 200 degrees. Heat a 12 inch heavy skillet over high heat until a bead of water dropped onto cooking surface evaporates immediately--2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, season the sweetbreads on both sides with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

Sweetbreads just going into the pan with brown butter.

Add 2 Tbsp. brown butter to skillet, swirling to cover bottom (butter will smoke), then add seasoned sweetbreads without crowding. Reduce heat to moderately high, then cook, undisturbed until undersides are golden brown--2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer browned sweetbreads with tongs to a shallow baking pan, arranging them in 1 layer. Keep warm in oven.
Add the rest of the brown butter to the skillet and saute mushrooms, stirring occasionally until browned on edges--3 to 5 minutes. Add shallots and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper.

Saute for another minute or so. Add sherry, lemon juice, and reserved poaching liquid and boil, scraping up brown bits until mushrooms are tender and liquid is reduced by half--about 5 minutes. Remove sweetbreads from oven and add them and any liquid into the skillet. Add parsley and remaining 2 Tbsp. butter (not the brown butter), then remove from heat and gently stir until butter is incorporated into sauce. Serve sweetbreads immediately. I served on buttered toast points as a first course.

Here's a funny story...I made these sweetbreads for our neighbors. They came with 2 of their teenage kids and I was so impressed the kids not only tried the sweetbreads, but seemed to really like them. As I was doing the last stir on the sweetbreads one of the kids offered to video tape me. She was filming with my camera; I was talking in my Martha Stewart voice; and all of a sudden every smoke alarm in the house went off! I was so excited to be cooking sweetbreads that I forgot to turn the overhead fan on. The video is funny, but not very useful because early-on all you hear are the alarms!

If you are making an all French meal, you might want to follow the sweetbread course with this classic French salad.

SALADE LYONNAISE

Salad Lyonnaise ready to serve.

This salad gets its name because it originates in Lyon, France. It is a very simple salad with a few key ingredients: just the right salad dressing; perfectly poached egg; good quality lardons of bacon; and fresh greens. Traditionally you would serve over frisee, but I could not find frisse so served over mixed greens with herbs.
Ingredients:
5 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. extra virgin Olive Oil
8 oz. frisee, or other greens torn into bite-sized pieces
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
4 eggs

Preparation:
Boil bacon and 1 cup water in a 12 inch skillet. Reduce heat to medium-high; cook until water is evaporated and bacon is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Transfer 3 Tbsp. bacon fat (do NOT skimp on the bacon fat) to a large bowl. Add lemon juice, mustard, shallot, salt, and pepper. While whisking, slowly drizzle in oil until vinaigrette is emulsified (slightly thickened and completely incorporated). Add reserved bacon and the frisee. Toss and divide between 4 plates.
Bring a large shallow saucepan or frying pan of water to slow boil. Add some salt. Crack eggs one at a time into a small bowl or cup and carefully slide into the water. You want the water to be bubbling, but not boiling. If too hot the eggs will disintegrate. If too cool they will run all over the pan. Cook until whites are set--about 2 minutes depending on size of egg. Using a slotted spoon, carefully life eggs out of the water and divide between plates; garnish with more black pepper and make a little slit in the yolk to open before serving.

Add here's the salad before the egg is broken.

I would love to hear from those of you who enjoy sweetbreads and also hear how you cook them. Hopefully for those who have not tried them, this might inspire you!

My husband, Jerry and I recently spent my (big!) birthday weekend in Bisbee, Arizona. We had a few days to kick back and enjoy this beautiful, old mining town. We also had the opportunity to visit a fabulous ranch in McNeal, just outside of Bisbee. The family owned and operated '47 Ranch' is totally off the grid. All their critters are lovingly raised on grass with no antibiotics or hormones. We met some pigs and sheep along with the owners, Dennis and Deb Moroney, and main ranch-hand Nessa. They also have 500 head of cattle and raise goats at another location. You will be hearing much more about this ranch and their products in future posts.

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

ENJOY THE LONG, HOT DAYS OF SUMMER!

KEEP COOKING AND GETTING CRAZY IN (AND OUT OF) THE KITCHEN!



This is the special birthday glass my brother Skip gave me years ago
to celebrate my birthday!

TUNE IN AGAIN SOON FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF...

 

WWW.COOKWITHCINDY.COM

 

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS AND MORE!

Summertime means lots of fresh zucchini. I like to cut an unpeeled zucchini in half, brush lightly with Olive Oil, add salt, pepper, fresh chopped oregano. Grill on medium heat turning at an angle to make cross hatch grill pattern. When the zucchini's are just barely tender, turn flesh side up and top with Parmesan Cheese. Keep on the grill just long enough for the cheese to melt.

The other evening I had my friend Paula over for an al fresco dinner. She is a fabulous cook herself and we had a blast cooking together.

Paula mixed up the fritter batter and fried the zucchini.

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

Ingredients:
2 medium zucchini's; top and bottoms cut, but leave peel on
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup each: chopped shallots (or other onion); dill, parsley, and crumbled feta
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil

Preparation:
Grate zucchini and place in a colander. Toss with 1/2 tsp. salt and let sit for 30 minutes to drain. Squeeze dry. Mix 2 eggs with all other ingredients. Stir in zucchini. Heat a pan and drop by heaping tablespoons frying until golden brown on each side; about 2-3 minutes per side. I think these would also be excellent with Italian herbs and parmesan cheese.

I served the fritters with pan seared Wild Sockeye Salmon marinated in basil oil.

BASIL OIL

Technically when you make an herb oil you blend whatever herb you are using with olive oil and then heat for about 1 minute. Strain through fine mesh strainer and strain again through cheesecloth. This gives you a clear flavored oil. I just blended 2 large handfuls of fresh basil with about a cup of olive oil and left the "fruit" in. I think that lends a greater depth of flavor and don't mind the little bits of basil.

Slather both sides of the salmon filets with about 1 Tbsp. of basil oil per side. Liberally add salt/pepper. Let sit on the counter for about 1/2 hour to marinate. Add 1 Tbsp. each of olive oil and butter to a frying pan. Get your pan smoking hot and lay the salmon in, skin side down.

Do not turn down the heat as you want the skin to get very crispy. It makes a bit of a mess, but is worth it. Depending on the thickness of your filet you may not even have to turn the salmon if you can see that it has become opaque and is cooked through. Add chopped fresh basil to the top.

We also had a lovely roasted beet salad with our meal.

ROASTED BEET SALAD

WITH FETA AND SWEET AND SALTY WALNUTS

To roast the beets: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash beets thoroughly and cut off tops and bottoms. You do not have to peel. If the beets are very large, cut in half. Line a baking sheet with foil and drizzle on olive oil. Rub all sides of the beets in the olive oil and then add salt. Roast until tender; about 45 minutes depending on size of beet. This can be done in the morning or even the day before, but bring beets to room temperature before proceeding. Once beets are cooled, with a sharp pairing knife remove the skin. It should come off easily. Heat a small frying pan and add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Mix in 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. sugar. Swirl the pan until the sugar just starts to melt. Remove from heat.

To assemble salad: Slice the beets. Add the toasted walnuts and feta cheese. Drizzle with a bit of Olive Oil and a nice Balsamic vinegar. You can put this salad together before your guests arrive and just leave on the kitchen counter.

A mushroom basil risotto accompanied our meal. See: http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/2012/03/risotto-time.html for recipe. This time I added a big teaspoon of the basil oil, lots of sautéed mushroom and garlic and more fresh chopped basil.

And here is Paula stirring the risotto.

You may be wondering if I cooked any part of this meal? We did the whole thing together which is always such a treat!



3 TIPS TO PERFECT RISOTTO:

1. Heat chicken stock until bubbly and keep it hot as you add the liquid to the rice.
2. Stir. Stir. Stir. This releases the starch from the rice making it creamy and forming its own sauce.
3. Add 1/2 cup hot chicken stock at a time and keep stirring until that stock has absorbed before adding more hot stock.

DINING AL FRESCO

I love to eat outdoors on warm summer evenings. I think it makes meals even more special!

We concluded our feast with a refreshing dessert drink.

WATERMELON COOLER

Ingredients:
6 ice cubes, blended
2 cups cubed watermelon, either seedless or seeds removed
3 oz. vodka
1 oz. whipped vodka
Mint, a few sprigs with additional for garnish

Blend all and garnish with the  mint.

I LOVE TO COOK WITH OTHERS!

THANK YOU PAULA! WHAT A FUN NIGHT!

 

NEXT TIME I AM GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU TECHNIQUE AND RECIPE FOR COOKING OFFALS...

IN THIS CASE SWEET BREAD.

 

TUNE IN AGAIN SOON FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF

COOK WITH CINDY!

www.cookwithcindy.com



COLD SOUP FOR HOT SUMMER NIGHTS!

Where do I begin...it's been months since I've last talked with you about my passion: FOOD! Now a full time Arizonan I think my menus and ingredients may change a bit. Certainly less fresh fish, but still so much to explore, learn, experiment with, and indulge in.

Our home in Plymouth, MA is sold and we are slowly adjusting to a new way of life. It's going to be exciting to experience the seasons in southern Arizona...right now, it's hot so I thought I would offer two cool, refreshing and very easy soups to make for these warm summer evenings...wherever you may be.

WATERMELON GAZPACHO

WITH FETA CHEESE AND MINT

I often go on the internet to search for recipes; read a bunch of different ones and then come up with my own tweaks, which is just what I did here. The beauty is you can make this your own soup by changing the herbs (basil instead of mint); or omitting the cheese; adding more jalapeno or less! This quantity made 4 first-course servings. It would be easy to double or triple if you need a larger quantity, and would work well as a main course with chunky bread and a simple green salad.

Ingredients:
4 cups watermelon, seeded and diced (I bought seedless which made it much easier.)
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced
3 baby bell red peppers or 1/2 regular red pepper chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded, deveined and chopped
1 Tbsp. minced shallot
1 Tbsp. EVOO
1/2 tsp. (or more to taste) salt
1/4 tsp. white pepper
Mint-about 3 Tbsp. in the soup and then more for garnish
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. white honey ginger balsamic*
Additional chopped watermelon and cucumber for topping
Feta Cheese for topping

Preparation:
Put all ingredients (except those you are saving for topping) in a food processor or blender and blend in batches. Taste to adjust flavors. I like the combination of flavors in this soup: sweet, spicy and refreshing.  I think next time I would add a little more shallot.

Both the Persian Lime Olive Oil used in the next recipe and the White Honey Ginger Balsamic came from a little shop in Soniota, AZ called Skye Island Olives and
Grapes. They have a wonderful variety of infused oils and vinegars...and a large 'tasting room'. Check them out: http://skyeislandoliveandgrapes.com/

Don't over-blend the ingredients. A little chunky gives the soup some character. Chill a few hours or overnight. Garnish with the extra watermelon, cuke, and feta cheese. How easy is that?!



I made the Watermelon Gazpacho for my friend Tobi as a first course, followed by a smoky and lightly curried chicken salad on bed of mixed greens  dressed with citrus vinaigrette. Blanched asparagus, hardboiled eggs, and potato salad with heart-healthy dressing completed the salad! Very filling, but all good for you!

And the next recipe is equally easy!

 

COLD CUCUMBER SOUP

Ingredients:
4 cucumbers, 3 peeled and coarsely chopped; 1 peeled and diced for garnish
5 ice cubes
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup Persian Lime oil (or other citrus oil, grape seed or avocado oil)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
3 Tbsp. shredded mint leaves, plus little sprigs for garnish
1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt (I used the one Bobby Flay pushes, Fage 2%. I like it much better than Chobani.)
More Plain yogurt for topping

Preparation:
In a blender combine all ingredients except what you're using for topping/garnish. Do not over blend. Chill in refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. Serve with additional cukes, a dollop of plain yogurt and the mint sprig. So easy and so delicious!

Even on a hot summer night it's always good to finish with something sweet. If you like the combo of peanut butter and chocolate, you will love these cookies.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter, melted
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups white flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups peanut butter chips

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl add melted butter and sugar. Beat well. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well again. In a separate bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Gradually stir into butter mixture. Add peanut butter chips. Drop by big, rounded tsp. onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to completely cool. As the cookies cool they will form those lovely cracks of chewy goodness!

Feels so good to be back in the blogging saddle.

More to come...I promise.

Until then enjoy the full harvest of summer using as many fresh fruit and vegetable combinations as you can imagine!

Our grapes are starting to ripen.
Thank goodness the leaf cutters eat only the leaves and not the fruit!

www.cookwithcindy.com

SONARENSES-AUTHENTIC FLAT ENCHILADA'S!

I was recently asked by my friend Bonnie to attend a cooking demonstration being put on at her neighbors house. Marena and her good friend Lupita treated us to a step by step demonstration of how to cook flat enchilada's, known as Sonarenses. This is an old recipe form Lupita's mother and was some of the BEST Mexican food I have ever tasted. Lupita is originally from Guadalupe and Marena from a beautiful little town in Mexico, called Magdalena. They are naturals at explaining how to put together a fairly complicated dish. I think they would make an excellent team on the Food Network!

I had never heard of this dish before. I have made enchiladas by rolling chicken, beef, or cheese, in a tortilla, covering with red or green chili, lots of Mexican queso and baking, but these were very different.

SONARENSES-MEXICAN FLAT ENCHILADA'S

 

To make the chili sauce:
Use a whole bag of Barker's Hot Mexican Chili Colorado Entero (Red Chili Pods), which I found at Food City here in Nogales. If they are not in your local market, you can easily buy them online.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add a little oregano (preferably Mexican oregano). Drop the pods in the boiling water. Cover. Cook for 5 minutes and then turn off heat. Set aside until the chilies are cool enough to handle. Strain the chilies, but reserve the cooking liquid. Remove stems and seeds. The skin of the chili will still be brittle. Blend the chilies in a blender with a little liquid from the chili pot. Add salt and 1 clove garlic for each blender of chilies. Add 2-3 Tbsp. chili powder. Lupita recommends La Reina de las Flores brand, but I could not find anywhere so used my standard chili powder from the Santa Cruz Chili and Spice Company (www.santacruzchili.com) in Tumacacori, Arizona. Pour the chili sauce through a fine mesh sieve to remove any seeds or stem pieces you may have missed making a smooth paste.

Here is Lupita making the flour/oil roux with blended chilies on her right ready to be mixed in.

Heat 1/3 cup vegetable or corn oil in a saucepan or deep frying pan. Add 1/2 cup flour and stir to make a roux. Add garlic powder, oregano, salt as needed. When it starts to thicken, add the blended chilies. This chili sauce would be great on many different things, not just the flat enchilada's.

And this is Marena stirring and adjusting flavors once the chilies have been blended with roux.

To make flat enchiladas:
Boil peeled potatoes until very soft. Set aside. Empty contents of Alejandro's masa (already prepared) into a large bowl. Masa is the Spanish word for dough, but in Mexico and other parts of South and Central America it is short for Masa de Maize and is a corn dough made from hominy.

Add some of the boiled potatoes and mix gently with your hands. Neither Marena or Lupita measure ingredients, but Bonnie and I watched closely to attempt to capture the amounts they used. They have been making this dish since they were little girls; know it by heart and do not need to measure.

Bonnie is carefully taking notes!

Add about 1 1/2 cups shredded queso fresca (fresh Mexican cheese) or shredded Mexican 4-cheese blend. Add 2 Tbsp. baking powder and a little salt. (Once mixed, masa can be frozen for future use.) Some recipes do not call for the baking powder, but that is what makes them rise giving these cakes their delicate texture.

Lupita expertly forming patties.

Form patties by rolling a ball of dough in your hands and then flattening with your fingers on a dishtowel. Patties should be about 3" in diameter, but you can also make mini enchiladas for hors d'oeuvres or larger ones for entre portion size.

Yours truly trying my hand at forming patties.

Fry the patties in about an inch of hot, but not smoking, vegetable or corn oil until golden and slightly puffed, turning once. Drain on paper towels. These flat enchiladas are light and airy inside with a crisp golden crust. They reminded me of little golden pillows.

 

To make re-fried beans:
Cook any type of dried bean in boiling, salted water until soft. Blend with an emulsion blender. Add 1 can drained La Costena Pimento Morron Tiras (I could not find this brand of roasted red peppers so just used what I could find in my local market. You could also roast your own red peppers.) Blend again to incorporate peppers. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a saucepan or deep frying pan. Add 2-3 Tbsp. chili powder to the hot oil then add beans and fry, stirring frequently for about 15 minutes. This next ingredient really surprised me...add 1 can evaporated milk. This is the ingredient that gives the beans a rich creaminess without using lard. Finally add about a cup of Mexican 4-cheese blend. Taste and season as needed. Set aside.

Now, here comes the fun part...
To assemble and consume:

Bonnie is contemplating the toppings she will use once she dips her flat enchilada in chili sauce.

Dip your enchilada in the hot chili sauce to completely coat each side. Spoon extra sauce onto your plate.

Top with re-fried beans, queso fresca, shredded lettuce, onion, green olives, avocado, Mexican crema.

This dish does not taste anything like enchiladas as you may know them. I am very fond of traditional enchiladas, but these were exquisitely delicious. Since Marina and Lupita's demonstration, I have made them on my own. My flat enchiladas did not have quite as lovely a texture as Lupita's did, but they were pretty darn good. I will make them again and try to perfect my technique! You can make the sauce and beans ahead of time which helps make putting this dish together a little easier.

Marena offered us a variety of beverages, but my beverage of choice with this dish are:

MARGARITA'S

Ingredients:
2 parts tequila
1 1/2 part triple sec (or Cointreau or Grand Mariner if you're feeling flush!)
1 1/2 part simple syrup (1 to 1 sugar/water. Heat to dissolve sugar. Cool before using.)
2 parts freshly squeezed limes. (I use little key limes.)

Put all ingredients in a shaker. Shake vigorously. Pour into glasses rimmed with salt.

SALUD!

What a fun day we had learning, eating, laughing and enjoying the company of two very gracious hosts. Best of all...we're going to do it again! Next time, Mole!

 

Thanks for sharing another cooking experience with me. 



Tune in again soon for another episode of:

 

www.cookwithcindy.com

I love experiencing the food, culture, and customs of Mexico!

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE

This dish originated in the northern Italian city of Bologna. Traditionally it is a rich meat sauce with a small amount of tomatoes and tomato paste, served over spaghetti. In Italy it is called, Ragu alla Bolognese. Here, we tend to make Bolognese as a thick meaty tomato sauce. So if you are a purest the following recipe may go against the grain, but this is how my Mom used to make it. She generally made Spaghetti Bolognese in the winter, slow cooking it on her wood stove. The whole house smelled like a tratorria!

This dish is often served on spaghetti (hence the name!), but you can serve it on any pasta. In fact, when I made Spaghetti Bolognese with my friend Leslie, we tried it both on spaghetti and on a wonderful pasta she had from Italy.

Leslie had 2 types in her pantry, the one shown above, which had a little hint of red pepper and a plain pasta version. We tried the Bolognese on the spicy pasta and it was wonderful!

You may be able to find this pasta in your local grocers or upscale shop, but you can also buy it online. Here is one of what I am sure are many sites that sell this fabulous pasta. http://www.pellini-usastore.com/Pasta-Astorino-Maccheroni-Calabresi-11-lbs-8032601880134.htm

The Astorino website is very attractive, but of course all in Italian! http://www.astorinopasta.it/

On to the recipe!

A sauce like Bolognese offers lots of opportunity for tweaking. Some people add slab bacon or pancetta; a combination of ground pork and ground beef; others use sun-dried tomato finely mashed into the sauce. Sometimes you'll see a carrot or celery stalk thrown in. Emeril Lagasse uses cream and butter! This is how Mom used to make it:

 

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE

Ingredients:
Splash of Olive Oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 pound ground beef (Yes, I used the grass fed beef again!)
1/2 to 3/4 bottle red wine (I used Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon.)
2 (28 oz.) cans chopped tomatoes
4 Tbsp. tomato paste
2-3 Beef Bones (I had some nice rib eyes the night before. Cut the meat off the bone before serving and saved the bones for this sauce. You can skip adding the bones, but they give the sauce a great depth of flavor. Mom never put bones in her sauce.)
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper, or to taste
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves picked off and finely chopped
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 bay leaf
Pinch of hot pepper
Parmesan cheese for serving
Fresh basil, optional

Preparation:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of Olive Oil, a little salt/pepper, and saute the onion and garlic until soft, but not browned. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the ground beef. (Make sure your meat is at room temp before adding to the hot pan.) Stir the beef to separate the meat and thoroughly incorporate the onion and garlic. Cook until beef is browned; about 10 minutes. Don't be concerned if it is not cooked through as this sauce will simmer for hours. Add fresh rosemary; oregano; bay leaf, hot pepper, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Add 2 cups of wine and reduce by half; simmering about 15 minutes. Add 4 Tbsp. tomato paste; mix well with the meat. Add 2 cans chopped tomato, with their juice, and mix well again. Add 1 more cup wine. Cover allowing the sauce to release steam. Simmer for 3-4 hours. Stir sauce every 20 minutes or so. Check for seasoning and if sauce gets too thick you can add a little more wine, beef or chicken broth, or water. Remove bay leaf and beef bones if you were using them.

Cook your spaghetti or whatever pasta you're using al dente and serve topped with Parmesan Cheese and a fresh sprig of basil.

While our sauce was simmering Leslie treated me to a delicious glass of wine.

I am not a wine expert, although I do drink my fair share. Fortunately for me, Leslie is. She chose to decant this wine to help accelerate the 'breathing' process and soften the taste of the tannins. She was able, just by smelling the wine after opening to make that decision.

Prado Enea Muga 2004 Gran Reserva was one of the smoothest, most pleasant red wines I've ever tasted. This is how Wine Enthusiast describes Prada Enea:

"Perfumed, lush, and complex to start, then vibrant in the mouth, with excellent integration of flavors, acidity, and tannins. Tastes of fine tobacco, mulled blackberry, chocolate, and spices."

That's just about how we described it, too! It was perfect to sip a glass of wine before the meal and also a fantastic companion to the Spaghetti Bolognese! Thank you Leslie!

UNTIL NEXT TIME, KEEP COOKING AND REMEMBER THERE ARE NO MISTAKES IN THE KITCHEN.

CRANK UP THE MUSIC, POUR A GLASS OF VINO,

AND ENJOY YOURSELF!

www.cookwithcindy.com