Sopa de Fideos (Tecate Noodle Soup)
6 c. chicken stock
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, chopped
1 red hot chili pepper, seeded and chopped
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
1 tsp. cumin
¼ lb. Mexican fideo (or
angel hair pasta/vermicelli)
grated añejo
ripe avocado, diced
In a large pot, bring the stock to a boil. Add the tomatoes,
garlic, onions, and chili pepper and bring to a boil again. Reduce the heat to
a simmer.
Stir in the spices and cook on a low heat, covered, for
30 minutes.
Break the fideo strands into thirds, and add them
to the pot. Cook for 6 minutes on a medium heat. Remove the bay leaves. Spoon
out into small bowls. Serve with grated añejo and a slice of avocado.
Yield: 12–15 servings
Ensalada de Nopalitos
7–8 fresh cactus paddles (needles removed)
½ c. olive oil
4 Roma tomatoes, sliced
½ sm. red onion, diced
1 Serrano chili
2 cloves garlic, pressed
¼ c. pine nuts
½ c. yellow squash, diced
3 bunches cilantro, leaves only, finely chopped
½ c. añejo cheese,
finely grated
Preheat oven to Broil. Place the cactus paddles in a bowl
and coat them on both sides with a bit of olive oil. Spread onto a cookie sheet
and place in the broiler to braise, about 7–10 minutes on each side, until the
tops of the paddles begin to turn black.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When sufficiently
cooled, cut into small strips. Transfer to a large bowl, and add the tomatoes
and the onion. Cut a Serrano chili into small pieces, removing the stem and seeds.
Add to the salad along with the pine nuts, squash, and cilantro.
Pour the vinaigrette (see
next) over the salad.
Refrigerate until serving. When serving, sprinkle with añejo
cheese, then toss.
Red Wine Vinaigrette
½ c. olive oil
¼ c. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. mustard
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
Combine all ingredients and whisk well with a fork.
Yield: 8–12 servings
Tortilla Soup
12 Roma tomatoes, quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled
5 Tbsp. olive oil
1 sweet red onion, finely diced
1 c. carrot, finely diced
1 c. celery, chopped fine
2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
8 c. chicken stock
1 15-oz. jar green chilies
¼ c. lime juice
½ c. black beans
¼ lb. tortilla chips
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
½ c. cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
½ c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
crisp tortilla chips
In a blender or food processor, puree the tomatoes and
garlic until smooth. Set aside.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over a low heat. Add
the onions, carrot, celery, cumin, salt, and pepper, then cook for about 10
minutes, stirring frequently. Mix in the tomato/garlic puree and cook for 10
minutes longer, stirring to ensure that the sauce does not burn.
Add the chicken stock, chilies, lime juice, and black
beans to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered,
for 20 minutes. Stir in the tortilla chips and chicken, then cook for 10
minutes more until the chips soften.
Serve hot with cilantro, avocado, cheese, and extra crisp
fried tortilla chips set up as side dishes for folks to add their own
garnishes.
Yield: 10–12 servings
Chiles en Nogada (Chilies in Walnut Sauce)
12 poblano chilies
1 sm. onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
½ lb. ground pork
1 sm. apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 peach, peeled, cored, and diced
1 lb. plum tomatoes, diced
1 c. shelled walnuts
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
4 eggs, separated
½ c. all-purpose flour
½ lb. butter
1 c. sour cream
3 sprigs cilantro, coarsely chopped
seeds of 1 pomegranate
Roast the chilies and remove the skins and seeds. (Do not
cut them in half, as they are going to be stuffed.)
Fry the onion and garlic in the olive oil until glossy;
add the pork and brown, stirring frequently. Stir in the apple, peach,
tomatoes, walnuts, all the spices, and the vinegar, and cook for about 5
minutes. Stuff the chilies with the walnut mixture.
Beat the egg whites until stiff; lightly beat the yolks,
then add into the whites. Dredge the chilies in flour and dip in the egg
mixture. Fry in butter, turning frequently so that they brown evenly. Drain.
Serve each with a bit of sour cream, garnished with
cilantro and pomegranate seeds.
Yield: 12 servings
Mole de Guajolote con Almendra y Ajonjolí (Turkey
Mole with Almonds and Sesame Seeds)
1 lg. turkey breast
1 lg. onion, peeled and halved
½ lb. butter, melted
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. black pepper
1 c. apple cider or Calvados brandy
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
12 tomatillos
5 mulato chili
peppers
5 pasilla chili
peppers
3 chipotles
½ avocado, mashed
1 banana, mashed
8 c. chicken stock
½ c. seedless raisins
½ c. sesame seeds
3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 sm. onions, chopped
1 hard roll
⅛ c. pumpkin seeds
¼ c. slivered almonds
¼ c. walnuts
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. anise extract
1 Tbsp. water
1 cinnamon stick
½ c. brown sugar
2 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
2 sq. bitter Baker’s chocolate
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place turkey, breast-side up, in a
large baking pan. Stuff the onion inside the turkey cavity. Pour the melted
butter over the bird, and sprinkle the salt and pepper over it. Surround the
breast with apple cider (or brandy, whichever one is using). Bake, uncovered, for
2 ½ –3 hours, basting occasionally.
While the turkey is cooking, puree the tomatoes, tomatillos,
chili peppers, avocado, and banana; place the mixture in a large pan, and add the
chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer until it is reduced to about half
the liquid content. Remove from the heat and set aside. Stir in the raisins.
In a large skillet, dry roast the sesame seeds; when finished,
reserve them for use later.
Add the olive oil to the pan, and fry the garlic and
onions until lightly browned; crumble the hard roll into the mix, stir, and
remove from the heat. Set aside.
In a separate pan, fry the pumpkin seeds and nuts with
the chili powder, allspice, and cloves until well heated, then add the extract
and 1 tablespoon of water until mixed thoroughly. Steal ½ cup of the turkey
drippings from the oven and add it to the frying pan, whisking the mixture into
a kind of light gravy.
In a large pot, combine the stock, garlic, onion, bread,
and all the gravy ingredients. Add the cinnamon stick, brown sugar, and vinegar.
Allow the sauce to thicken, stirring occasionally so that it does not burn
(about 20 minutes).
Grate the chocolate into the sauce, and allow it to melt,
floating on top of the sauce. Cover until one is ready to present the turkey.
Pour the sauce over the turkey, sprinkle with sesame
seeds, and serve.
Yield: 12–15 servings
Flan
1 c. sugar
8 egg yolks
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 12-fluid-oz. can evaporated milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
edible flowers
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Melt the sugar over medium heat until caramel colored.
Pour into a 9" round glass baking dish, coating the bottom and sides.
In a large bowl, beat the yolks until light yellow in
color. Add the condensed and evaporated milks and the vanilla, and beat until
very smooth. Pour mixture into the baking dish. Set inside a larger pan; add
water so that it comes up as much as possible around the edges of the flan pan.
Bake for 50 – 60 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool
completely. Refrigerate overnight.
To serve, invert the flan onto a plate with high sides.
Surround with edible flowers for decoration.
Yield: 8 servings