Recipes : Main Courses
View All Recipes | Anytime Antojos | Salsas and Pickles | Salads | Sides | Soups | Main Courses | Desserts | Cold & Hot Drinks |
January 14, 2010 6:00 PM
"Right off the bat, you must understand: I heart chorizo. Especially the kind I grew up eating in Mexico. It comes in deep-burnt-reddish links of fresh, moist, exotically seasoned ground meat that, once fried, becomes crisp and filling bites with bold flavors and a thousand uses.
My oldest son's quick choice for breakfast is chorizo fried until it browns and crisps, with a side of white toast. Add some lightly beaten eggs as the chorizo is starting to brown and some ripe and creamy avocado slices on the side, and that's my kind of rich-tasting brunch dish. Of course chorizo is delicious in sandwiches, in tacos and quesadillas, on top of enchiladas, in mashed potatoes, as a topping for heartier salads, in some of the tastiest bean dishes I have tried, in pastas with a ton of personality and on pizzas with pickled jalapeño peppers on top.
I am really trying to stop myself here..."
Article written for and published by The Washington Post. To read entire article and to get recipes for Mexican-Style Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Chorizo (pictured above), Cowboy Beans (Frijoles Charros), Potato, Scallion and Chorizo Crispy Tacos, and Warm Sweet Potato Salad with Chorizo, click here.
December 18, 2009 10:40 AM
Last December, Daniel and I went on a culinary adventure to Yucatán. I was swept off my feet by the grandiose nature and history of the old Haciendas, but mostly by the uniqueness of the cuisine of Yucatán. It stands out from the rest of the country; with its aromatic, pungent citrus flavors, charred and toasted ingredients and elements not found anywhere else.
Since at the Institute we established topics for the 2009 program in January and I left Yucatán as a special closing session, by the time December came around I was desperate to share these flavors. What a tortuous self imposed wait!
Of course Pollo Pibil had to be included, as it is so delicious and one of the most loved dishes of the area. The rest of the menu was built around it: Dzotobi-chay tamales, avocado soup, strained beans and yellow rice (that someone seemed to like) to accompany the Pibil and old fashioned flan for dessert.
Continue reading Pollo Pibil
|
COMMENTS (6)
November 5, 2009 11:05 AM
You know how some people become attached to a certain dish? They try it somewhere once and then want to go back to eat it again and again, or they make it at home repeatedly in an until-death-do-us-part kind of vow? Well, I am one of those people, and I have made that vow with quite a few dishes from the Mexican state of Michoacan.
It surprises me how Michoacan's cuisine has remained such a well-kept secret. It has a defined personality and a complex layering of delicious flavors like the more popular cuisines from Oaxaca and Puebla, but its dishes seem to be a bit more comforting and use fewer ingredients.
Article written for and published by National Public Radio's Kitchen Window. To read entire article and to get recipes for Tarascan Bean and Tomato Soup, Brisket in a Tomatillo and Pasilla Chili Sauce and Guava Cheesecake, click here in Kitchen Window.
September 30, 2009 3:00 PM
I have been humbled, time and again, by how one never stops learning from other cooks in the kitchen. That has especially been the case with my cooking team at the Mexican Cultural Institute. We are all from different parts of Mexico, with our peculiar twists and spins, influences and very strong opinions, which we love to scream out loud when trying to make what we serve at each event be the best it can possibly be.
Though we get a bit stressed when cooking for kitchen outsiders, we really let loose when making lunch for ourselves. We take turns and last week Julio, a former Mexican taquería cook, made his albóndigas. I had been dying to try them since not only he, but his aunt Maricruz, had been raving about them for over two years. "De veras, de veritas Pati" (Maricruz said, which means really, REALLY) "he makes the most delicious albóndigas of them all".
Continue reading Dreaming of Julio's Albóndigas with Chipotle and Mint
|
COMMENTS (11)
September 11, 2009 2:10 PM
During the years I've been teaching at the Mexican Cultural Institute I've been hesitant to demonstrate, make or serve Chiles en Nogada. There are many reasons...
First, one of my goals has been to open a window into the extraordinary world of Mexican cooking in an accessible way. I have introduced the basic ingredients and dishes along with bits of their history, fun facts, cooking methods and new spins, so people can become familiar with this cuisine and feel empowered to play with its basics in their own kitchens.
No sense in teaching how to make something incredibly complex with tons of new ingredients, which can be quite overwhelming, right?
Continue reading OK... Chiles in Nogada, at last!
|
COMMENTS (10)
August 5, 2009 8:40 AM
As I delightfully accepted (jumping up and down) the invitation to come cook Mexican with Paula, I told her producer, we love her show at home. Not only does it make my boys want to jump into the kitchen but her accent completely cracks them up. That last bit made her producer burst in laughter. Patriz-z-zia, he said, her accent cracks them up? What about yours?
Mine?
Sometimes we are the last ones to notice some of our most obvious traits and talents. Growing up in Mexico I used to think I was tall, then I moved to Texas. After years of studying to become a political analyst, here I am, cooking my life away.
A couple months after the invitation to visit Paula, guess what started to happen? Even my little gringo boys at home started cracking up at my accent too. "Mami, you don't say feesh, you say fish, not like bee... you know, like dish." Oh well... I am not tall, I am not a political analyst anymore and I do have an accent.
Accents included and all, visiting Paula's kitchen in Savannah was some of the best fun I've ever had. Thinking about it makes me smile so wide, my eyes barely get the chance to see what's in front of them. She is hilarious.
This I can say: I am amazed by Paula. She is as scrumptious, funny and generous in person as she is on screen. As real as real can get, and its even better live. I don't know that many people who enjoy food as much as Paula. She just dives into it, the whole thing, the preparing, the cooking and the savoring. So before deciding the menu, I knew the food had to be as yummy as she is. Now that's a challenge.
Continue reading The crunchiest and tastiest tacos for Paula Deen
|
COMMENTS (20)
July 22, 2009 12:15 PM
Article written and photos taken for and published by National Public Radio's Kitchen Window on July 22, 2009
Growing up in Mexico City, my sisters and I used to prepare exotic meals, perfumes and potions for the inhabitants of our enchanted forest. That was our dog, the bluebird, snails, butterflies and ladybugs that happened to peek into our backyard and witness our extravagant mess. It also included any family friend who happened to stop by and become a willing victim. We sometimes offered cooking classes too.
My mother set us up in the backyard on a big blanket with random pots and pans, while she cooked laborious weekend meals. There was a fig tree, an apple tree, a peach tree, a couple of what we called Chinese orange trees and tons of azaleas and herbs that offered an immense array of witch-crafting material. But among our most prized ingredients were dried jamaica flowers, known here as hibiscus flowers, stored in a big jar in the kitchen.
To read entire article and get recipes for Jamaica concentrate, water and variations; Seared duck breast with jamaica and orange sauce; Watercress, goat cheese and pecan salad with jamaica flower vinaigrette click NPR's Kitchen Window
Continue reading Jamaica flowers charm the kitchen
|
COMMENTS (3)
March 26, 2009 10:04 AM
Talking about American foods enriched by Mexican ingredients, I can't leave out those tasty, juicy and smoky Ancho Chile hamburgers. My mother used to make them for our birthday parties as me and my sisters grew into teenagers. We felt more hip having funky burgers instead of kid sized tacos. Plus, they were a hit with our friends. They are a snap to make and for the Mexican spin you just need to prepare a seasoning paste with Ancho Chiles. Anchos, being ultra mild and somewhat fruity with a hint of prunes, make an instant click with the meat.
Continue reading Tex Mex or Mex Tex: Take Two
|
COMMENTS (0)
