Baja Citrus Marinade

The beer based citrus marinade works well with Beef, Pork and Lamb.

INGREDIENTS
2 - 12 oz. Mexican Beers
1/3 cp fresh Orange Juice
1 tsp grated Orange Zest
2 tbls Red Wine Vinegar
2 tbls Soy Sauce
1/4 cp Canola Oil
1/2 cp Minced Onion
2 tbls Minced Garlic
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients together in a blender, pureeing until onions and garlic are liquified. Reserve one cup for basting, and use remainder as a marinade for beef, pork or lamb. Use a shoulder or leg cut. Marinate meat for at least two hours for best flavor.

Darlene's Tips;
If you like it sweet add 1/2 cup brown sugar or honey.

To make it spicy add 2 chopped chipotle peppers OR 2 chopped red chili peppers.

Turkey Mole w/ Sweet Potatoes

This Turkey Mole recipe has just the right mixture of sweet and spicy and is easy to make with your turkey leftovers. You can make the mole from scratch but why would you? On the day after Thanksgiving haven't you cooked enough?!

INGREDIENTS
4 turkey thighs, skinned
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 box (about 17 ounces) mole cooking sauce or 1/4 cup mole paste dissolved in 2 cups water
1 cup salsa, any heat level
1 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS
Season the turkey with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the turkey on both sides. Remove to a plate. Add the onion and cook until it loses its raw look. Add the sweet potatoes and continue to cook until the onion and potatoes begin to brown. Add the mole, salsa, and water and heat to boiling. Reduce the heat so that the liquid simmers. Return the turkey to the pan, along with the juices that have collected on the plate. Cover and simmer until the turkey and potatoes are cooked through, about 45 minutes. Stir in the cilantro before serving.
Makes 4 servings

Mijo's Lengua

So, right now you are either smiling or gagging. For people who are not familiar the culture, it's almost like a dirty secret when you admit to eating and enjoying menudo (cow stomach and pig's feet), chicharrones (pork skins), sesos (brains) and a number of other interesting parts of an animal's body. Kinda gross, right? Actually they're all quite tasty when cooked and spiced just right.

Beef Tongue is a very soft beef that can be used in many dishes. This is my mother's recipe for the Lengua dinner she prepares for my brother's birthday every year. She told me this off the top of her head so feel free to play with the measurements of the ingredients, as I guessed what they might be as best I could.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 2-3 Lb Beef Tongue
• 1 Large Onion (half chopped)
• 1/4 cp Cilantro
• 1 cp Sliced Mushrooms
• 2 Tbls Chopped Garlic
• 1 14oz can Stewed Tomatoes
• 1 14oz. can Tomato Sauce
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Red Wine (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Wash fresh tongue and place in 6 quart pot, cover completely with water and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 onion, salt and pepper. Place on simmer and add more water as it evaporates, keeping the tongue covered until no longer pink, about 45 minutes per pound of tongue. It will be done when it can be easily pierced with a fork.

Remove from water and let rest until cool enough to handle. Peel the skin off the tongue, trim the fat, and cut into 1/2 slices.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute chopped onions, garlic, mushrooms and cilantro. Add stewed tomatoes and oregano with a little flour to thicken. Add 1/2 cup or more of tomato sauce to make enough to serve over meat. Add 1/3 cup red wine to sauce if desired. Simmer for 5-8 minutes.

Places slices on plate with rice, beans and serve with salad.

!Buen Provecho!

Chipotle Tacos

INGREDIENTS

2 ½ pounds bone-in pork butt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chilies
12 small corn tortillas
2 15 oz. ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups chopped green onions
2 avocados, pitted, peeled, diced
Lime wedges
Salsa of your choosing


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place pork on baking sheet, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast pork until brown and very tender, about two hours.* Once out of the oven, set the pork aside and allow to cool, and then shred. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until tender. Add shredded pork, cilantro, and chopped chipotle chilies with their sauce to the skillet and stir until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and heat in oven for ten minutes. Meanwhile, stir beans in saucepan over medium-low heat until heated, then mash the beans so that they are still chunky but also creamy. Remove from heat.

To assemble tacos, first spread the mashed beans on each tortilla, top with the pork mixture, then sprinkle with green onions and avocados. Serve with salsa and a lime wedge. *Make sure meat is fully cooked before shredding.

Tortilla Española

When I lived in Madrid my roommate Encarni taught me how to make a Tortilla Española or Tortilla de Potata which is a common dish found in every bar, restaurant and home in Spain. It's nothing like the flour or corn version from Mexico that I learned how to make growing up but it's now a favorite at our home.

INGREDIENTS
4-5 White Medium Potatoes, peeled
5 Eggs
1/2 cup Onion, finely chopped (optional)
1/2 cup Olive Oil, divided
Salt & Pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Slice potatoes into scallop size pieces and set aside. Place a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/4 cup olive oil to pan. When the oil is hot (not smoking, but very hot), add potatoes, onions, salt and pepper. Cook potatoes (and onions if used) for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are very soft and can cut in half easily with a spatula. Set potatoes aside. In a medium sized bowl, beat eggs. Mix together cooked and drained potatoes to egg mixture and add more salt and pepper.

Clean non-stick skillet thoroughly and add remaining olive oil and heat. Pour the egg/potato mixture in the hot pan to cook like an open omelet. Reduce the heat slightly after a minute or so to allow the eggs to set in the middle, but not burn on the bottom. Use a spatula to run around the sides and bottom of the omelet to make sure it's not sticking.

When the majority of the egg mixture has cooked on the bottom, get ready to do the "flip". Using potholders to protect both hands place a dinner plate over the tortilla and get a firm grip on the handle of the pan. In one quick move flip the pan over so that the tortilla is released onto the plate. Place the pan back on the heat and quickly slide the flipped tortilla back in the hot pan to cook on the bottom. The tortilla is done when the egg is not runny inside when poked and slightly browned like the picture above.

Cut in thick pie shaped pieces when serving a portion for dinner or in cubes with toothpicks as an appetizer.
Can be served warm or at room tempurature.

¡Buen Provecho!

Mushroom Manchego Crepes

(Recipe courtesy of Cacique USA)

INGREDIENTS
2 cps Cacique® Manchego Cheese - shredded
2 Eggs
3/4 cp Milk
2 tblsp Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion - sliced
1 cp Bisquit Mix
Salt & Pepper
Fresh Cilantro

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. Whisk together biscuit mix, milk and eggs. Heat a 7-or-8-inch over medium-low heat. Pour a scant quarter cup of batter into pan and swirl pan so bottom is evenly coated. Cook until the edges of the crépe are bubbly and look dry and the bottom is golden. Loosen edges with a spatula, then flip over and cook for an additional 20-30 seconds. Slide crépe out of pan onto a clean counter or cutting board.

Place about 2 tablespoons of mushroom onion mixture into center of each crépe, sprinkle with cheese, and roll up. Place in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 10 minutes, until cheese on top is melted. Garnish with cilantro before serving.

Servings: 6-8

South American Fish Stew

One of our Chit-Chat readers Nathalie Herling of Richmond, Virginia submitted this recipe which was inspired by Columbian Fish Stew. It's a perfect Friday meal for those observing Lent or anyone else who just likes fish! Check out her blog at www.creativeclaycooking.com for other Clay Pot Cooking recipes.

INGREDIENTS
3 tsp Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves sliced
1 each White & Red Onions - Chopped
1 Green, Red or Yellow Pepper - Chopped w/Seeds Removed
2 Tomatoes -
Peeled & Chopped
1 Hot Pepper Any Variety - Chopped
2 Sweet Potatoes -
Peeled & Cubed
1/3 lb Okra - Tops Removed and Quartered Lengthwise
3 cps of Vegetable or Fish Stock
1 tbls Cumin
1 Green Plantains - Sliced
1/2 lb of Medium Shrimp - Cleaned and Deveined
1 lb White Boneless Fish
1 cp Cilantro Leaves
Lime Juice
Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Roast the garlic in olive oil until slightly brown. Add onions and sauté until transparent. Add chopped peppers and sauté around 3 min. Add chopped tomato, hot pepper and okra to mixture.

Add 3 tbls of fresh cilantro and 1 tsp of cumin into the stew mixture. Cook for about 5 to 7 min. Add the stock to the stew, turn heat to simmer and stir for about 10 min. Add potatoes and cook for another 15 min. Add plantains. Cut fish into bite size pieces add most of the remaining cilantro and the juice of one lime.

Add shrimp and serve as soon as the shrimp is cooked. Usually 4 to 5 min. Serve garnished with cilantro and lime. Cooks and looks perfect in a La Chamba Fish Stew Pot.

Shrimp & Crab Enchilada

Many people think of Lent as the time Catholics give up meat on Fridays so here's a scrumptious recipe for seafood enchiladas that's really good for anytime of the year.

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cp Manchego
3/4 cp Queso Fresco
(or 1/1/2 cp Monterrey Jack)
1 cp Crema Mexicana or Sour Cream
3 tbsp Butter
1/4 cp Green Onions - diced
1 tbsp Jalepeno - seeded & minced
1/4 cp each Red & Green Bell Pepper - diced
2 1/2 cp Crab Meat - pre-cooked
2 1/2 cp Raw Shrimp - peiled & deveined
1/2 cp Fresh Cilantro - chopped
1 tbsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
12 Corn Tortillas
2 cps Green Enchilada Sauce

DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 350°
In large saucepan, melt butter and sauté onions, jalapeños and bell peppers for 2 minutes. Add seafood, cilantro, cumin and salt & pepper. Stir to mix thoroughly and sauté 3 more minutes. Remove from heat to cool, add crema and cheeses.

Heat enchilada sauce in saucepan. Dip each tortilla and stack on plate. To assemble, spoon 2 - 3 tablespoons seafood mix into each tortilla, roll up and place seam down in greased 9x12 baking dish. Cover with enchilada sauce and bake 30 minutes. Remove from heat, cover with remaining cheese and return to oven for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with crumbled Cotija cheese or drizzle crema and avocados.

Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let set 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with Mexican crema or sour cream, sprinkle with Cotija cheese and slices of avocado.

Servings: 6

Huevos Rancheros

  I think my Papi makes the best Huevos Rancheros! Here is my dad's recipe as best as I can do.

INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp. cooking oil
6 6" tortillas
I cup salsa fresca
1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
8-12 pcs crumbled bacon
6 eggs
Salt to taste
Avocado to garnish



DIRECTIONS
In small skillet heat 2 tbsp. oil. Holding tortillas with tongs, dip one at a time in hot oil for 10 seconds or till limp. Line a 10 x 6 x 3" baking dish with tortillas. Keep warm. Cook bacon and crumble. Set aside. Heat and simmer fresh salsa in a sauce pan. Place tortilla(s) on plate. Cook eggs over easy and arrange on top of tortilla. Spoon salsa over eggs and top with crumbled cheese and bacon. Garnish with avocado slices. Serve immediately.


How can I not include a menudo recipe in January? If you don't know already it is infamously known as a hangover cure for the day after New Year's Eve. Click here to check it out!

Chili Rellenos con Queso

Many people think of Lent as the time Catholics give up meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays but rather than settling for a Filet-o-Fish whip up something a little more interesting such as these Chili Rellenos. 

• 1 pkg Cacique Queso Poblano or Monterrey Jack - sliced into 1/2" thick slices
• 1/2 cup Cacique Crema Mexicana or Sour Cream
• 1/2 cup Oil - for frying
• 6 poblano chiles - roasted and peeled
• 1 can stewed tomatoes - (large)
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 onion - chopped
• 3 eggs - separated
• 1 cup flour - for dredging
• 1 clove garlic - minced

Directions:
Make a small slit on side of chile and insert cheese slices. Beat egg whites, then add yolks and beat until fluffy. Holding by the stem, carefully pass each chile through flour and then dip completely in the egg batter. Fry in hot oil, turning once, until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Chile Relleno Sauce: Sautee garlic and onions with one teaspoon oil until tender. Add oregano and tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes on low heat. Let cool slightly then puree in blender. Return to skillet, add Crema Mexicana and heat through. Serve over chiles rellenos.
Recipes courtesy of Cacique USA.

Vaga Enchilada

So I was going to give you a big, long complicated recipe for making enchiladas from scratch but who really wants to cook the day after Thanksgiving?

 
Sautee in large frying pan:
1 med onion chopped
½ med red/green pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon salt

Add and mix:
3 cups cooked turkey, shredded

Slice and dip:
Slice 12 (10 inch) corn tortillas into strips and lightly dip tortillas in 1/3 cup hot oil until soft and drain.

Mix together:
2 cups Mexican Crema or Sour Cream
2 cups shredded Manchego or Monterey Jack cheese

Layer in a casserole pan in alternating layers like lasagna:
2 Cans store-bought green Enchilada sauce
Cheese mixture
Turkey mixture

Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let set 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with Mexican crema or sour cream, sprinkle with Cotija cheese and slices of avocado.