Monday, April 10, 2006

Capirotada (Bread Pudding)

Traditionally, this old-fashioned bread pudding, served during Holy Week, is filled with cheese, apples, peanuts and raisins. Although the traditionalists scold me for doing so, I like to substitute dates and pecans.


INGREDIENTS

2 cups Brown Sugar or Large Piloncillo
1 cup of Water
1 3" Cinnamon Stick
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1 Loaf of French Bread or 4–5 Bolillos
1 ½ cups Nuts (pick and choose; pine nuts, slivered almonds and chopped walnuts, peanuts, pecans)
1 cup raisins (or whatever dry fruit you like)
½ lb. Jack Cheese cubed or Queso Fresco crumbled
1 Tart Apple
Ice Cream or Whipped Cream


DIRECTIONS

Boil brown sugar, water, cinnamon and vanilla until slightly thickened in sauce pan. Discard cinnamon stick. Cut bread into ½ inch slices toast slighted in oven with butter in 9" X 13" pan. Alternate layers of bread, cheese, nuts and apple with brown sugar mixture. Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until thorughly heated. Serve warm into individual bowls with ice cream or whipped cream.

Sunday, April 2, 2006

Tortas de Camaron

Rather than settling for a Filet-o-Fish, whip up something a little more interesting such as these Tortas de Camaron.

INGREDIENTS  
3/4 cup Dehydrated Shrimp (found in Asian or Mexican markets)
2 cups Bread or Tortilla Crumbs*
3 eggs
1/4 tsp. Salt
Vegetable Oil for frying

DIRECTIONS
Mix dried shrimps and bread crumbs in a blender or food processor. Mix until the shrimps are ground up and well blended with crumbs. Beat egg whites until fluffy fold in yolks, salt, shrimp & bread mixture mix until you have a batter the consistency of a cooked oatmeal.

Heat enough oil in a skillet to about a depth of 1/4". Put a tablespoonful of batter in the oil for each fritter, and fry until golden, turning once.

Serve on top of Nopales Guisados.

*To make tortilla crumbs, dry tortillas (about 12) in an oven on low heat until crisp. Grind up in a food processor or blender.